Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 2
Chapter 381 — यमगीता
Yama-gītā
यम उवाच आसनं शयनं यानपरिधानगृहादिकम् वाञ्छत्यहो ऽतिमोहेन सुस्थिरं स्वयमस्थिरः
yama uvāca āsanaṃ śayanaṃ yānaparidhānagṛhādikam vāñchatyaho 'timohena susthiraṃ svayamasthiraḥ
യമൻ പറഞ്ഞു—അയ്യോ! അതിമോഹം മൂലം സ്വയം അനിത്യനായ മനുഷ്യൻ അത്യന്തം സ്ഥിരമായവയെ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു—ആസനം, ശയനം, യാനം, വസ്ത്രം, ഗൃഹം മുതലായവ.
Yama
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Cultivate vairagya by reflecting on impermanence; reduce obsessive acquisition and plan life with death-awareness (ethical living, charity, detachment).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Impermanence vs. craving for stable possessions (Yama’s admonition)","lookup_keywords":["anityatva","moha","parigraha","vairagya","Yama-upadesha"],"quick_summary":"The mortal, though impermanent, clings to ‘stable’ assets like home, bed, clothing, and vehicles. The practical takeaway is to weaken delusion by remembering transience and limiting possessiveness."}
Alamkara Type: Virodha (paradox/contrast)
Concept: Anityatva and aparigraha: the unstable self should not cling to stable-seeming possessions; moha is the root of bondage.
Application: Daily contemplation of death (maraṇa-smṛti), voluntary simplicity, disciplined giving, and reducing identity tied to property/status.
Khanda Section: Preta-Khanda / Naraka-Varnana (Yama’s instruction on death, afterlife, and karmic consequence)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Yama instructs a human soul about the folly of craving seats, beds, vehicles, clothes, and houses despite life’s impermanence; symbolic contrast of decaying body and solid mansion/objects.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, Yama seated with danda and buffalo emblem, calm didactic gesture, a pale human figure listening, background showing house, bed, garments, chariot as symbolic icons, earthy reds and greens, flat iconic composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Yama as regal deity with gold halo and embossed ornaments, the human petitioner below, gold-leaf highlighting the ‘stable’ possessions (house, bed, palanquin), rich maroons and greens, devotional-didactic mood","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, fine linework, soft shading, Yama teaching with scroll-like labels for asana/shayana/yana/vastra/griha, minimal background, instructional clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly scene with Yama as stern judge, the mortal in humble posture, detailed objects—carriage, textiles, architecture—rendered with precision, muted palette, moralizing caption panel"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यम उवाच → यमः उवाच (विसर्ग-लोप); वाञ्छत्यहो → वाञ्छति अहो; 'तिमोहेन → अतिमोहेन; स्वयमस्थिरः → स्वयम् अस्थिरः.
Related Themes: Preta-khanda: Naraka-varnana (Yama-dharma); Moksha-dharma sections on vairagya and tyaga
FAQs
It imparts ethical-spiritual instruction (dharma-viveka): recognizing impermanence and reducing attachment to material possessions (seat, bed, vehicle, clothes, house).
Alongside rituals and sciences, the Agni Purana also preserves moral and afterlife teachings; this verse belongs to the Yama/Naraka discourse that systematizes karmic psychology—why beings cling to worldly stability despite their transient nature.
It highlights moha (delusion) as a cause of bondage: craving permanence in impermanent life strengthens attachment and thus perpetuates karmic entanglement; the remedy implied is vairāgya (dispassion) and right discernment.